$95k in Auckland
#226
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: In a large village called Auckland
Posts: 5,249
Re: $95k in Auckland
Yis, keep calm, carry on nothing to see here *looks shifty* don't dare let on that there are actually whole actual beaches that you can have all to yourself that are not in New Zealand.
#227
Re: $95k in Auckland
I have spent more time doing outdoor stuff since I returned to the UK than I ever managed to do in NZ. It is sad really as thats what we moved to NZ for. We love the outdoor lifestyle. We just couldnt afford to do it. I know outdoor stuff is mostly free but hubby had to work so many hours and I worked on the only day he had off. We had to do that to keep our heads above water financially. Family time was zero. Now we have our family time back. Every evening and weekend we have together.
Thats the only regret I have. I wished we had been able to make the most of what NZ had to offer. We were lucky enough to tour the South Island before we left and that blew me away! Breathtaking in every way. But now were home, the UK blows me away ( and im not on about the wind ). Where I'm from is truly beautiful. I can totally relate to Davros's photos. Beautiful.
Thats the only regret I have. I wished we had been able to make the most of what NZ had to offer. We were lucky enough to tour the South Island before we left and that blew me away! Breathtaking in every way. But now were home, the UK blows me away ( and im not on about the wind ). Where I'm from is truly beautiful. I can totally relate to Davros's photos. Beautiful.
#228
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2007
Location: Western Sydney For Now
Posts: 434
Re: $95k in Auckland
I have spent more time doing outdoor stuff since I returned to the UK than I ever managed to do in NZ. It is sad really as thats what we moved to NZ for. We love the outdoor lifestyle. We just couldnt afford to do it. I know outdoor stuff is mostly free but hubby had to work so many hours and I worked on the only day he had off. We had to do that to keep our heads above water financially. Family time was zero. Now we have our family time back. Every evening and weekend we have together.
Thats the only regret I have. I wished we had been able to make the most of what NZ had to offer. We were lucky enough to tour the South Island before we left and that blew me away! Breathtaking in every way. But now were home, the UK blows me away ( and im not on about the wind ). Where I'm from is truly beautiful. I can totally relate to Davros's photos. Beautiful.
Thats the only regret I have. I wished we had been able to make the most of what NZ had to offer. We were lucky enough to tour the South Island before we left and that blew me away! Breathtaking in every way. But now were home, the UK blows me away ( and im not on about the wind ). Where I'm from is truly beautiful. I can totally relate to Davros's photos. Beautiful.
There are people I know in Auckland who earn significantly less as a family then $95k and they still do very well without racking up huge debt and are lucky enough to enjoy the time off. Personally, I don't miss the rat race of the UK which I personally encountered.
#229
Re: $95k in Auckland
It is all about balance I guess. When I worked in the UK I was on very very good money and had worked on a career for 21 years, however in order to get to where I was and to earn that money I ended up working to 10 pm every weekday evening, from 8 am every weekday morning and having to even have a conference call going in my ear whilst eating an evening meal with my family. In NZ have been lucky enough to earn good money although less than the UK and not have to work the insane hours.
There are people I know in Auckland who earn significantly less as a family then $95k and they still do very well without racking up huge debt and are lucky enough to enjoy the time off. Personally, I don't miss the rat race of the UK which I personally encountered.
There are people I know in Auckland who earn significantly less as a family then $95k and they still do very well without racking up huge debt and are lucky enough to enjoy the time off. Personally, I don't miss the rat race of the UK which I personally encountered.
Steve
#230
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: North Shore, Auckland
Posts: 688
Re: $95k in Auckland
If I had to choose between being financially struggling in the UK, or being financially struggling in NZ; my choice would be NZ.
#231
Re: $95k in Auckland
It's a huge decision for any family to make and a great adventure. I genuinely hope it works out for each and every one of you.
Last edited by pippalonghorn; Aug 12th 2014 at 2:40 pm.
#232
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: North Shore, Auckland
Posts: 688
Re: $95k in Auckland
When we moved here from the UK, where we had 'been doing OK', we started out in Auckland on one wage, and had another child. TBH, we went backwards financially for a while - I guess we added a few hundred dollars of debt every month for a couple of years.
At that stage there's no doubt we were 'finanically struggling'. We did however have a house and not too-big a mortgage, so we could cope with the gradual slide into debt as we had a plan where we wanted to be in the next 5 years. Glad to say, that did pan out and the days of gradually adding more debt every month are gone.
During those early years, it would have been a logical step to assume that our Akl experiment had failed, and go back to the UK - as many of our fellow migrants did. But we stuck with it and I have never actually had thoughts that we would be 'better off' (other than in purely financial terms) back in the UK.
Point of the update & post: would I rather be 'financially struggling in NZ' or 'getting by financially in UK'?
That depends. On whether you have a long-term plan and outlook, and whether you are motivated by having a great career or cash in the bank... I had both (and they worked out) the former, and I have no great interest in the latter. I am not saying that my size fits all - and there are members on here who will find all sorts of fault in what I've posted (again) - but that's how it was/is for me.
As an aside, we have suffered somewhat from what you might call 'family fallout' - my brother got divorced, my mum died of cancer, and Mrs B's dad have refused to visit us in NZ. Such is life - again, we just get on with what is dealt us, and carry on.
At that stage there's no doubt we were 'finanically struggling'. We did however have a house and not too-big a mortgage, so we could cope with the gradual slide into debt as we had a plan where we wanted to be in the next 5 years. Glad to say, that did pan out and the days of gradually adding more debt every month are gone.
During those early years, it would have been a logical step to assume that our Akl experiment had failed, and go back to the UK - as many of our fellow migrants did. But we stuck with it and I have never actually had thoughts that we would be 'better off' (other than in purely financial terms) back in the UK.
Point of the update & post: would I rather be 'financially struggling in NZ' or 'getting by financially in UK'?
That depends. On whether you have a long-term plan and outlook, and whether you are motivated by having a great career or cash in the bank... I had both (and they worked out) the former, and I have no great interest in the latter. I am not saying that my size fits all - and there are members on here who will find all sorts of fault in what I've posted (again) - but that's how it was/is for me.
As an aside, we have suffered somewhat from what you might call 'family fallout' - my brother got divorced, my mum died of cancer, and Mrs B's dad have refused to visit us in NZ. Such is life - again, we just get on with what is dealt us, and carry on.
Last edited by bearskin; Aug 12th 2014 at 7:38 pm. Reason: sp
#233
Re: $95k in Auckland
And hope you can see that others have done exactly the same and went back to be with their family or for whatever reason and decided to stick it out in the UK. In essence you have given up on the UK, others have given up on NZ. Maybe there even is no need to immigrate in the first place because with a such is life attitude you could make it work in the UK as well (in theory).
Last edited by Assanah; Aug 13th 2014 at 4:49 am.
#234
Re: $95k in Auckland
And hope you can see that others have done exactly the same and went back to be with their family or for whatever reason and decided to stick it out in the UK. In essence you have given up on the UK, others have given up on NZ. Maybe there even is no need to immigrate in the first place because with a such is life attitude you could make it work in the UK as well (in theory).
#235
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: North Shore, Auckland
Posts: 688
Re: $95k in Auckland
And hope you can see that others have done exactly the same and went back to be with their family or for whatever reason and decided to stick it out in the UK. In essence you have given up on the UK, others have given up on NZ. Maybe there even is no need to immigrate in the first place because with a such is life attitude you could make it work in the UK as well (in theory).
So, to answer you, I haven't given up on the UK. I will in fact go back there to live again at some point - I'm looking fwd to it. And, yes, I didn't need to migrate, I can make it work in the village I grew up in if needs be.